This blog is a personal take on Listowel, Co. Kerry. I am writing for anyone anywhere with a Listowel connection but especially for sons and daughters of Listowel who find themselves far from home. Contact me at listowelconnection@gmail.com
One of the lovely welcoming park benches in Childers Park Listowel
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Church of St. John, Ballybunion
St. John’s in Ballybunion is one of the most magnificent churches in the Kerry Diocese.
Mary Young, whose seated statue is placed facing the church was one of the main benefactors.
Mary has left us all a spectacular legacy.
This beautiful window is above the main altar.
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Water Safety
I don’;t fully understand it either, but it sounds nice.
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Nettle Soup
Pic and text from Folklore.ie
Here is something that many of you will have heard already – eating nettles in May. My grandmother would always have one feed of them cooked up with the bacon and cabbage. I’ve heard others who say that you were meant to have three feeds of them. Good for the blood apparently – full of iron. I make nettle soup with them and you’d never know they were in it once mixed with other vegetables.
Wild garlic among the trees in Listowel Pitch and Putt course
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Remembered with a seat in the Park
Here is a 2020 Facebook comment from a relative of this lady:
Bibiana Foran was my grand aunt. The OS most probably stands for her initials of her maiden name…she was O’Sullivan. Her home was in Lacca, Ballyhahill. Her brother Patrick was my grandfather. She was an amazingly capable lady….had a huge impact on the lives of many of the underprivileged in Listowel. She befriended many of the political prisoners during the trouble times. She with Lady Aberdeen, established the first sanatorium in Peamount, Dublin. A letter to her from prison from Thomas Ashe is in Tralee library. I gave it to her grand daughter, Grace, ( now sadly deceased) who had it presented to Tralee library. My aunt , Nora O’Sullivan, had that letter among her possessions, as she inherited Auntie Bibbie’s property in Ballybunion. I felt her grand daughter should have it. She & husband Jeremiah, also owned the Horseshoe Bar in Listowel & Cahirdown house in Listowel . Would be happy to give further info if needed. Irene Hynes
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Sporting Poem
I remember the bus bringing the newspapers in the days when we had morning papers and evening ones. In those far off days “the football pitch, the snooker hall and the handball alley” were the gathering places for men.
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Happy Birthday to You
80 is the new 50. Youthful Nancy Collins has held back time. Unbelievably this lovely lady celebrated her 80th birthday last week.
Nancy celebrated her milestone day with her friends in Vincent’s. Listowel’s Vincent de Paul shop where Nancy regularly volunteers.
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I was at the cinema
This is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful films I’ve seen. There isn’t a spare word or gesture. The characters are pitch perfect, the scenery breathtaking and the film was very faithful to McGahern’s beautiful writing.
Writers’ Week has organised a showing in The Plaza on May 31th, followed by an interview with director, Pat Collins.
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A Fact
The first electric kettles were sold in the 1890s. The automatic switch off when boiled function wasn’t invented until 1955. Early electric kettles sometimes boiled dry or burned through the housing. They were very dangerous.
2nd LT. EDWARD JAMES KEANE, 8th BATTALION Joined the 8th Battalion as a 2nd Lieutenant in France on the 27th of August 1916. Wounded at the Battle of Ginchy, on the Somme, 9th September 1916. We do not hear of him with the Munsters after this but a Lt. E.J. Keane was placed on the Royal Air Force ‘unemployed list’ in December 1919. His home address, on his medal index card, was ‘The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry.’
Thomas Buckley read this and he is able to tell us a bit more;
Hi Mary,
A connection that you may not be aware of!
E J Keane, Royal Munster Fusiliers, in photograph of issue 26 April 2024, was Edward a son of James Kane, 9 Courthouse Rd. Listowel, retired RIC. James was working as fisheries inspector when executed for spying for the forces of occupation by the Listowel IRA on 14 June 1921. This was covered by your issue of 4 September 2019.
Reports at time give name as Keane not Kane, and date of execution as 14 June. See Bureau of Military History ref WS 1109
Just to clarify the Kane/ Keane referred to has no known relationship to other families in Kerry. James born in Leitrim, while serving in Cloughjordan, Tipperary, married Catherine Ryan of Silvermines, Tipperary.
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“Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree.”
Trees in Listowel Pitch and Putt Course.
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Kilcrea Abbey
The ruined Franciscan Abbey of Kilcrea is in Ovens, outside Ballincollig in Co. Cork
The Abbey was built in the 15th century. It was sacked several times but some of its beautiful architecture is still intact.
Kilcrea is a National Monument.
It is still used as a burial ground. The most famous grave is the grave of Art OLaoghaire whose widow wrote him the most famous caoineadh (lament) in Irish literature.
“Mo ghrá go daingean thú
Lá dá bhfaca thú
Ag ceann tí an mhargaidh….
Eibhln Dubh, widów of Art, was wracked with grief when his horse came home riderless, having left Art to die on the roadside. She composes a lament, revisiting her first sighting of him and the sacrifices she made in defiance of her father to marry him.
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Northern Lights
On Friday, May 10 2024, all you needed was the naked eye to see the most spectacular light show ever over Ireland. The following photos were taken by local photographersand shared on social media. Some were taken, using only a phone. No need for filters.
Aisling Shannon was at home in Clare.
Ita Hannon in her beloved Beal
John Kelliher was in his back garden, where the Aurora Borea Allis illuminated his washing line and his shed.
Chris Scott was on top of Knockanore
Pixie O’Gorman captured the feeling of wonder we all felt.
These are just a small sample of the many, many great records of a phenomenal event in our little corner of God’s kingdom.
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A Fact
George Washington’s false teeth were set in a wooden base. He used to soak it every night in port wine in order to preserve it.
The sun shone and the MOYA festival was in full swing.
These are just some of the stalls of the many crafters and sellers.
Beautiful painted beach stones were just some of the souvenirs on offer.
Lovely to meet my friend and super knitter, Josephine. She really has the most beautiful and most reasonably priced baby stuff. She is thinking of retiring from knitting so now is your chance to buy a unique hand made baby gift.
Edible works of art from Fifi Shades of Cake were beautifully presented as always. These delicious cakes are ridiculously reasonable, considering the skill and creativity that goes into creating them. If you want to bring a friend a unique little something, bring one of these.
Sarah of The Green Green Gate was there with her Kombucha, always a pleasure to encounter at the market.
Once upon a time every bride carried a horseshoe and they were to be seen over every door as bringers of good luck. Now you can buy a genuine used horseshoe from Olivia’s Lucky Horseshoes. She will customise it for you as a piece of wall decor and you’ll have a story to tell your visitors.
There was loads more stuff, Emily’s honey, Gráinne’s beautiful photos, ceramics, handmade cards made from real flowers grown locally, bags, soaps, dog treats and lots lots more.
I forgot to ask if the market was going to be there every week from now on . If it is you should definitely drop in.
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The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Match
We have an 11 year old footballer in the family. That is why I love this poem. It’s all there, the tension, the hope, the humour and the inevitable joy or disappointment. So many sports recognise thirds and fourths and so on down the line. When you play (or support) one of the binary sports, it’s hard, hard, hard.
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“Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree.“
These beautiful trees are on the Pitch and Putt course now.
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A Fact
The earliest set of false teeth dating back to 1,000B.C. was found in a grave in Sidon in Lebanon. The set contains four lower incisors. The teeth are human teeth and must to have come from the jaw of someone else.
Glin Historical Society shared this advertisement on Facebook
Tom Walsh of Listowel commented
Nash’s Minerals was located in Listowel for many years, on the Bridge Road, where Tyre Stop is located now. The manager was Dermot Buckley. He did every thing, took the orders from all the pubs/shops, collected the money, and on a Saturday he delivered the orders with a tractor and trailer
Derry Buckley shared this photograph of his late dad, Dermot.
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What a talent!
My daughter-in-law, Carine, and her mum, Cécile, holding the crochet throw Carine made for her mother. Reggie is impressed too.
These details from the crochet show the immense skill and craftsmanship involved.
Carine has already started on her next project.
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+Pat Given R.I.P.+
Pat Given, one of Listowel’s last great classical scholars, passed away peacefully on April 30 2024.
Pat was a teacher, a poet and a gentleman. He lived a long and happy life with his beloved Lisha in Listowel, which shaped and made him.
The places I was most likely to meet Pat were at a book launch, in the theatre or in the newsagents. He was a man of letters. May he rest in peace.
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Celebrating a Gymnast
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A Fact
No species of wild plant produces a flower or blossom that is completely black. Despite attempts, so far efforts to produce one artificially have failed.
